


The Masterpiece

by Cyan (vehicroids)



Category: Persona 5
Genre: F/M, In which Yusuke is a little weirdo: the fic, Mentions of P5-kun, Minor Yusuke and Ryuji friendship, One-Sided Attraction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:01:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23758063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vehicroids/pseuds/Cyan
Summary: It turns out inspiration has been staring Yusuke in the face the entire time.
Relationships: Sakamoto Ryuji/Takamaki Ann
Comments: 8
Kudos: 51





	The Masterpiece

Leblanc has become a source of inspiration for Yusuke.

The atmosphere is drab and broody in a way that reminds him of Madarame's atelier, minus the sour aftertaste the memory leaves him with. Sayuri watches over him, as it has his entire life, smiling down on him.

Here, he can enjoy a nice cup of coffee, the last one he can afford. It's peaceful, serene, in a way few places are. Coffee and curry are comforting smells to him now; they remind him that he's at home. The cup he's holding is slowly growing colder as he tries his best to savour it. He knows he'll eventually have to finish it, but not yet. For now, he can indulge in the tranquillity of--

"Ryuji!"

Ann's voice draws Yusuke from his thoughts and he looks up, only to find her shoving Ryuji away. Those two bickering is hardly news; it's part of the scenery at this point. Ryuji groans before muttering an apology, and the matter is quickly resolved before the pair go back to normal. Their spat is forgotten as quickly as it started, and still, Yusuke doesn't know what that was about.

Ryuji leans his arm behind Ann - specifically, on the booth they're both sharing. He's looking at his phone as Ann looks at hers, neither of them paying much attention to the other. Occasionally, she’ll nudge him to look at something on her phone: a joke, something about their school, or something else Yusuke clearly is not privy to. He’s not offended, but he _is_ confused. It’s almost like he’s stopped existing. It’s no matter - he’s gotten used to this, as well.

He finishes his cup, with a reminder from Akira behind the bar that he can’t keep spotting him for coffee. Yusuke knows this, of course, but it won’t stop him from asking later. It’s not like it’s expensive, but Yusuke isn’t exactly rolling in the riches. Nor is Boss, come to think of it. He pushes his cup to the side of the table and looks back at his friends. They’re closer now than they were before, huddled up to watch a video on Ryuji’s phone. His arm’s dropped off the booth and onto her shoulders, and Ann’s leaning in close, her head almost against his.

 _Oh_. How foolish of Yusuke. He's been searching so long for his muse, for inspiration, yet it's been in front of him his entire time. Yes, these two embody something he has yearned to capture: young love. He chuckles to himself as he grabs his sketchbook, flipping it open. He holds it up and ensures no one else can see it, not even Morgana. For the moment, this work must be kept a secret.

Ann's eyelids are heavy as she all but leans her head against Ryuji's jaw, who isn't paying attention to her. He's laughing at something on his phone, and it catches her attention and looks, only to laugh with him. This is a rare moment between them: no bickering, no hyperactivity, simply calm. The waning light of Leblanc only aids his muse, and he cannot keep his pencil still.

"Uh," Ryuji says. "Why're you laughing like that?"

Yusuke pauses, before clearing his throat. "My apologies. Inspiration has struck me, and this feeling is--"

"Oh. Art stuff. Great," Ryuji says, before looking down at his phone.

"Mind if I take a look?" Ann asks, suddenly animated.

"Not yet, but I can assure you, you'll see soon enough," he says.

Ann shrinks back into the seat, disappointed. Though the bigger disappointment is from Yusuke as she's slumped away from Ryuji. Well, no matter; his sketchbook holds all the references he needs. It's almost funny to Yusuke. Once upon a time, Ann was his muse, and Ryuji was little more than a nuisance, yet together, they created something. He would have to thank them later.

For now, he needs to get back home and get started on his piece.

***

"They won't like this."

Akira has been warning Yusuke all week, but he remains undeterred. He's co-opted Akira's room as his own to the moment, as the atmosphere is perfect for his unveiling. He stands by his covered painting, anxiety gripping him. Anxiety, yet barely contained thrill. How Akira couldn't feel it, Yusuke doesn't know, but he's not the artistic type. He wouldn't understand.

"I disagree. There are plenty of people out there who would love a portrait of themselves," Yusuke hums. "In any case, Ann will be pleased to know I will consider our deal honoured with this."

Akira is about to say something else when Boss calls from downstairs that the pair have arrived. Yusuke can barely contain his excitement, but Akira stifles a laugh behind his hand as he goes downstairs. He hears their voices as they head upstairs, and Yusuke holds his hands in front of himself.

"Hey," Ann greets cheerfully.

"Yo," Ryuji says, "why'd you call us here all of a sudden?"

Yusuke gestures to the canvas beside him. "I wished for you two to witness the first unveiling of my latest piece before I submit it into a local exhibition."

"Oh, that's pretty cool! Where's everyone else, though?" Ann asks, but Yusuke shakes his head.

"Everyone I need is right here, with the inclusion of Akira, of course," he says.

Ryuji and Ann exchange a confused look, but don't say anything. Akira lets a snort slip, but he covers it with a cough. Yusuke can't wait anymore. With a careful yet firm tug, he pulls off the cloth hiding the painting, and the room falls to stunned silence. He watches their reactions, but they're staring at the art with varying degrees of horror.

In the piece, Ann's head is tucked under Ryuji's jaw in a dimly-lit room, with the only light coming from the phone in his hand. His other hand, barely visible, is resting on her shoulder. Her body is tilted towards his, eyes half lidded as she watches the screen with Ryuji. If one squints, they can see the faint flush of his cheeks and how tightly he's holding onto Ann. Yusuke is positively beaming at his work, but the subjects in question aren't.

"Is that… is that _us_?" Ann asks.

"It is. Please, I'd like your honest opinion," Yusuke says.

"It's us!" she says again, like she's trying to make a point. "When did you even paint this?"

"Is this not better than being drawn nude?" He offers.

"No! This is worse!"

Beside her, Ryuji is deathly silent. It's unusual for him to be quiet. His wide eyes watch his mirror version, his mouth agape. When he notices Yusuke staring at him for his thoughts, he snaps back into reality.

"What the eff, man?" he says. "Ain't that breaking our privacy or somethin'?!"

"Exactly!" Ann exclaims.

"Do you not like it? I suppose the lighting is off in places, so I can see why you would not like it," Yusuke says.

"No! I don't like it because it's us! In that way, when I'm not, and Ryuji isn't…"

Ryuji doesn't respond, but he doesn't need to. Yusuke looks at the painting with a hum.

"Perhaps I could change the hair and eye colour," he muses. " Would that help?"

"No, cause you can still tell that's us. It's definitely Ann's big pigtails and her freckles, there's no way that ain't," Ryuji pauses as his broken voice cracks out, "you know, us."

"Don't sound so disgusted!"

"What? You're the one who's all offended at the idea of us being a thing, why're you gettin' all pissy?!"

"I see," Yusuke sighs, ignoring their argument. "But what am I meant to do? I'm submitting this tomorrow, and I don't have anything else."

Ann looks at him like he's said something wrong, but he doesn't know what. Yusuke doesn't know how to respond: he's not even sure how he's wrong about this. His lack of response - along with her latest argument with Ryuji - only angers Ann further. With a grunt, she storms down the stairs and out of Leblanc, with Akira chasing after her. Yusuke can hear her outside yelling to Akira, then nothing.

He looks back at the painting, his shoulders slumped. The hours sank into that, the paint, the everything, wasted. Now it is a mockery of both Yusuke and his craft. He reaches out to grab it when Ryuji makes a noise.

"Hey, uh, whatcha gonna do with that?" he asks.

"I'm not sure. If you and Ann both hate it this much, then I have no choice but to discard this piece," Yusuke says.

Ryuji stuffs his hands in his pockets and steps closer. He looks around then leans in close, so close that Yusuke swears he can hear Ryuji's heartbeat.

"If you ain't givin' it to the exhibit or whatever, can I have it?" he asks.

Yusuke looks at him curiously. He thought Ryuji hated the painting, like Ann, whose ire he still does not understand.

"Why?" is the only thing Yusuke can ask.

"Because! Y'know," Ryuji says, clearly thrashing like a dying fish. "It's good. And it'd suck if you just trashed it or whatever you're gonna do with it."

"I see."

He doesn't see, but Ryuji is right. It would be a shame to throw it away, especially after spending so much time and resources on it. Yusuke holds his chin in thought.

"C'mon, I'll buy you food for it. I'll even get you sushi or whatever you want," Ryuji says, almost begging. "Just… don't tell the others about this, 'kay?"

"May I ask why?"

"Hell no!" he barks. "So. We got a deal?"

"If Ann won't let me use it, then you're free to do what you wish with it," Yusuke says. "It would only further clutter my room."

Ryuji perks up. "Fuck yeah! Thanks. And, uh, nice work, Yusuke."

Is this how Yusuke's career as a real artist begins? Not with money, but with a bribe of sushi. He laughs to himself; somehow, it feels right.

**Author's Note:**

> I spent what would be my vacation money on P5R. No regrets it's a fucking good game but still sobs
> 
> Anyway I wanted to share my OTP with you guys along with some Yusuke nonsense. And here I thought my first P5 fic would be my stupid OT4 fic... oh well. Also for some unholy reason I'm really struggling with tags atm but this really is what it says on the tin so ??
> 
> Bug me on [Tumblr](http://vehicroids.tumblr.com) || [Twitter](https://twitter.com/vehicroids)


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